Despite the common exploitation of quartzites as raw materials during the African Stone Age, petrographic and geochemical characterization studies have been rarely undertaken. The Naibor Soit outcrop at Oldupai Gorge (Tanzania), considered the main source for quartzite procurement in the area, probably represents the exception to this analytical scarcity. Previous studies have determined variability among quartzites and the existence of singular mineral assemblages and geochemical compositions. In this study, we present the first systematic survey and EDXRF characterization of 86 samples from the two inselbergs that conform Naibor Soit. Samples are classified into nine macroscopic varieties and are mineralogically composed of quartz, muscovite, occasional hematite, rutile, magnetite, anhydrite, and fuchsite. Geochemical analyses, which include previously published data, confirm the existence of inter-/intra-outcrop variability and suggest compositional similarities among some areas of both inselbergs. Our study contributes compositional data and elevated predictive values for future archeological sourcing studies at Oldupai. Our results emphasize the necessity of systematic surveying and sampling to fully understand raw material variability and the factors that may have influenced their selection and exploitation.

中文翻译：

---

来源分析中石英岩的系统采样：坦桑尼亚奈伯索特的露头内变化（第一部分）

尽管在非洲石器时代普遍使用石英岩作为原材料，但很少进行岩石学和地球化学表征研究。被认为是该地区石英岩采购的主要来源的Oldupai峡谷（坦桑尼亚）的Naibor Soit露头可能是这种分析稀缺的一个例外。先前的研究已经确定了石英岩之间的变异性以及奇异矿物组合和地球化学成分的存在。在这项研究中，我们提出了对来自符合Naibor Soit的两个Inselberg的86个样品的首次系统调查和EDXRF表征。样品分为九个宏观种类，在矿物学上由石英，白云母，赤铁矿，金红石，磁铁矿，硬石膏和铁矾石组成。地球化学分析 其中包括先前发表的数据，证实了露头之间/露头之间存在变异性，并暗示了两个Inselberg区域之间的成分相似性。我们的研究为Oldupai的未来考古采购研究提供了成分数据和更高的预测价值。我们的结果强调有必要进行系统的调查和采样以充分了解原材料的可变性以及可能影响其选择和开发的因素。